Would having a virtual CISO suit my business?

In this article, we will answer the basics about virtual CISO's (vCISO), aka a fractional or part time CISO, in the hope it helps you understand if the model is right for you.

What is a vCISO

Before we delve into whether you would benefit from one, let's outline what a virtual CISO is. The main characteristics for a vCISO are, they:

• Are an ex-full-time CISO, they have 'been there and done that' and now share those skills with others
• Will act as an extension to your leadership team, comfortable sitting at a CxO table
• Will design a strategy that aligns to your business objectives
• Can drive a security program and provide progress reports; their 'hands-on' nature is the biggest debate in the industry!
• Will engage with your stakeholders, this could be regulators, Boards, and investors, ensuring you are supported
• They work part-time, you won't be their only gig

If the vCISO you are talking to doesn't have these core attributes; you are probably talking to a security consultant.

Why do people opt for a vCISO?

The predominant reason is efficiency and resource management.

Medium and large sized companies often recognize the need for security leadership, understanding the threat and impact an incident could cause them. Unless you are an ostrich with its head in the sand, the increasing nature of the threat and expectations of your supply chain won't have passed you by.

With the average cost of an incident being anywhere between £10,000 (UK NCSC) and £100,000 (Mastercard) for a medium-sized company, the return on investment is difficult to gauge. Despite you knowing it is probaly the right thing to do for the resilience of your company.

Chances are, you simply can't justify the significant cost of hiring a full-time, expensive resource. Not when you want to prioritize growth and other business objectives.

Is a vCISO right for me?

Simply put, it depends- unhelpful I know.

If these statements feel relatable, then it's probably worth an initial discussion.

• I want to scale my business and work with Enterprise / Large customers
• My current cybersecurity programme isn't quite right but I don’t know what to do
• I find cybersecurity confusing and don't know what the first step is
• I am facing new regulations on cyber resilience, and haven't acted
• My Board talk a lot about cyber, but we don't have a strategy
• I am preparing for a round of investment, but I am unsure what an investor will expect from us regarding cybersecurity

Picking your vCISO.

There are all types of CISO, much the same as there are all types of CIO and CTO and CEO. So, which flavour of vCISO is right for you?

You need to know your business, the ecosystem in which you exist and the culture you are driving. You don't really need to know much about cyber, that’s the skill you are hiring.

Here are some things to consider when sourcing a vCISO:

• What is your desired outcome, are you looking for someone to join and scale with you or join and leave after a defined engagement
• Will they be starting from scratch? As that will require more hands-on activity than some vCISO want
• Do they have experience in your ecosystem?
• Do they understand and respect your constraints e.g. regulation, budget issues, revenue challenges?
• Do they appear able to support you, and your business achieve your objectives?
• Do they have relevant qualifications and references to back up their experience? Good examples are C|CISO, CISSP, CISM, MBA in Tech or Cyber
• Are they value for money, shop around and consider your options e.g. retainer versus day rates
• Will they 'fit in' around your table?

It’s the same list of things you would consider for any senior hire, but sometimes people get confused and worried because the topic is cybersecurity.

Where do I find a vCISO?

If you have an internal talent team they can use Linked In to raise a Job Advert for a fractional CISO, we will do a follow up article on creating such a job advert next week. The same advert can be added to cybersecurity specific job boards.

If you use a recruiter, ask them about their experience locating and placing this type of role. Some have a vast amount of experience whilst others will be scrambling around on Linked In with a key word search, no different than you doing it yourself.

If you want to use our services get in touch and we will see if we can provide the service via our vCISO network.

Summary

Deciding if the vCISO model is right for you can be a key enabler for your organisations security.

The purpose of the vCISO role is to provide experienced cybersecurity leadership without the full-time cost, helping you strengthen resilience, meet compliance needs, and align security with growth goals.

Whether you’re preparing for investment, scaling operations, or simply seeking clarity on your cyber strategy, a vCISO provides the expertise and perspective to keep your business secure and moving forward with confidence.

Final thought

If you are talking to a vCISO and they are selling using Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) or adding to your confusion rather than clarifying things for you, run!